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Flock of the Phoenix
Flock of the Phoenix Shadow Meets Light It was a rare day for Victor. During the following couple weeks that came from their first of having Morgan as his newly adopted daughter and his personal pupil was joined by Maria. Despite not being as adamant to employ physical arts, her Magic was impressive enough to be used in demonstration and Caster Magic sparring. He wanted the two to continue to bond as well as nurture the young Slayer's powers gradually over time. He knew that if he pushed her too hard, it could demoralize or frustrate her beyond the point of tolerance. Being a child he wanted to take his time; he just hoped that the Dragon who gave her this power wouldn't wreak havoc in the world. Through subtle means he kept watch over the country of Sin. He was now more than ever determined to establish trade routes with the Pergrande Kingdom. If he could help the poor peninsula and improve its living conditions, he could start helping those she once lived with as well as try to find her surrogate brother, Roland. He just hoped that his efforts wouldn't be in vain of giving the girl some good news. The one thing that he did find as an unexpected boon was the disbandonment of the Wizard Guild, the Midnight Titans. A formidable yet small group of Mages that were more nomadic than fixed in a single location had finally announced through the Magic Council's bulletin that they were independants. This caught his eye and he reached out to his old friends that was once part of the Guild. When he discovered that those he contacted were all too willing to join, he was ecstatic to have them come and meet him in person, deploying an airship to pick them up. In the meantime, he decided to introduce Morgan to her natural opposite in her studies today. Something he knew at some point he should bring about but now was the best time. The third week of living with him and two weeks of training, he believed she was ready. "Come here, Morgan," Victor ushered with a gentle gesture as they finished their warm-up exercise. "I have another one-on-one special lesson just for you. After this we'll finish up with Maria and get ready for this afternoon. We have guests, after all, and we don't want to keep your mother waiting while she hosts them." "Good luck," Maria called out with a smile as she crossed her legs and sat patiently on the edge of the practice hall. Morgan perked up at the mention of a special lesson. Without a word, she walked to the center of the room, confident that she could handle whatever Victor had planned for her. In just two short weeks, she could feel herself gaining even just a bit more control over her magic, although she still had a tendency to fight like a feral beast when she became frustrated. As slight as her progress was, she believed that in time she could reach the level she sought. She recalled their very first training session together and how rashly she had acted, wasting appreciable amounts of valuable energy with every assault she made. She had pushed herself to the where she thought her limits were and further beyond them, all in vain. The training ended up with her knowing just how outclassed she was by a properly trained mage. It was a painful lesson to learn, both physically and emotionally. It wasn’t easy to admit she had been beaten, not after all she had survived to get as far as she did, but she realized that it was indeed for the best that she learned it sooner rather than later. After all, she knew the enemies that lurked around the proverbial corner weren’t going to be so kind as to let her walk away if she lost the upper hand. When she reached the center of the training hall, she stood casually. She looked back at Maria and smiled. "Let's hope I don't end up getting thrown around this time." As the dark-haired girl spoke, she felt a shudder as her own words harkened back to the first training's rather disastrous end. As Morgan turned back to Victor, she mentally prepared herself for the upcoming lesson. "What kind of training?" she asked, an obvious note of curiosity in her voice. Smiling, the father of two was happy that any fear that had been instilled within the young Slayer didn't deter her tenacity. The picture of piqued curiosity was seen in her blue eyes, her twintails swaying behind her as she tilted her head to emphasize her question. He had a feeling one day he'd be the one asking her questions when she advanced to the rank of a Master. "It's time to meet your natural opposite," He answered with a smile, raising his left hand in demonstration. A few sparks crackled above his palms. Then a cacophony of miniature spectral explosions. Finally a sphere of light swam up from his hand and coalesced in a movement that belied its tangible state. Like a world of glowing water it swirled and pulsed with its own heartbeat, giving an unnatural gleam to spray across the entire room. Once he had his Light Magic orb in its most stable state, almost reflecting a sparkling gem that thrummed every few seconds, he continued to explain. "Darkness Magic, when faced against Light Magic, creates streaks of shadow. Light cannot fully eliminate darkness but at the same token the dark cannot fully shroud the illumination. One must be stronger than the other, like a torch compared to a deep pit or a star in the middle of space. To gauge your level of skill and strength in Darkness Magic I will drill you one day of the month with Light Magic as my weapon. If you are stronger for it, then you will be able to resist my attacks and pressure me. If you are not, you will have to work harder in your training. Do you understand, Morgan?" The young dragon slayer suppressed a brief feeling of fear and doubt. One look at Victor and she knew that what was coming would be nothing short of difficult, even in the best case; and that’s just how she liked it when they sparred. “I understand. Don’t expect me to hold back. And you shouldn’t do so either, Father.” She said with a smile. As often as she thought of Victor as her new father, the only one she felt any genuine emotions for, hearing herself refer to him as such still sounded weird to her. Although she wouldn’t deny how much she enjoyed knowing he was there for her, even when the voices in her head told her otherwise. Without another word, Morgan entered a battle stance and waited to see what Victor had up his sleeves. She learned well that rushing in to end the fight quickly was one of the most foolish things she could ever do, and not at all conductive in the long run. "Good to see she's starting to subdue that aggressive side of hers," Victor noted with a wry smile. Subduing his outward emotions to a stoic expression, the sphere that swirled within his palm was clenched into an upraised fist. Turning his arm till it crossed over his face and his knuckles rested over his left outer ear, he swung it out with an opening motion of his digits. When he did so, an arc of light was cast in front of him. "Light Make," He muttered out, with a index pointed motion, "Angel Wing." In the moment his words transformed the arc of suspended light into a beautiful sparkling wing. Hooking to the edge of his elbow it was flourished magnificently of his left arm to a length of three meters with one meter in width. Upon its creation it began discharging a number of blunt feathers like bullets at Morgan, all spread out in attempt to net her in one attack. He knew it wouldn't be enough to catch her at the first attempt, but it would show how serious he was in seeing how much she had improved. Morgan watched intently as the orb of light transmuted into a beautiful wing of pure energy, only for that very same to begin launching an assault of magical feather-shaped arrows in what the young girl had to admit was a pretty clever arrangement, but not clever enough to pin her down. Quick as lightning, the girl zipped around the onslaught, jumping over a few of the low-hanging blasts that had gotten too close and ducking under the higher ones that otherwise would have hit. Once all the darts of light had passed her, Morgan simply smirked. “My turn.” she said, as dark magic flowed around her arm, forming what appeared to be a lance of black light solidified. The tip of the spear lightly tapped against the reinforced floor of the hall, producing black sparks. What she revealed about the spell made plain that she had no intention of restraining herself. “'Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Izanami’s Curse'!” she yelled, rushing forwards, pulling her arm back as she ran. Once she was in range, she thrust the spear forward and pushed more of her energy into the spear, extending it, allowing her to remain safely outside Victor’s grasp and preventing a repeat of their prior exercises. "Quick as ever," The Alexander Head noted with his eyes trailing her movements dexterously dancing out of reach from the purposefully non-lethal arrows. Shattering into glittering sparks as they hit the floor and around the wall, he saw his daughter had erected a vermillion colored barrier ahead of time. From past experience in the last few weeks, she had taken such precautions so she wouldn't be dragged into his personal sessions with Morgan. When she formed her Darkness Magic weapon he couldn't help but marvel at its intricate shape and control. The compression and solidification showed that she had total control over the Darkness Weapon shape, no longer malformed or chaotic in design. When she lunged, he dispelled the wing on his left arm and extended his right hand. To the attacker's eye, it'd appear as if he was intending to stop it with his bare hand. But then in an instant, the space between her and Victor would appear to vanish, becoming a three meter tall by one meter wide mirror outlined in a ribbon of sparkling currents. "Light Make: Seraphim Mirror." The Darkness Lance struck the center, bringing about a phenomena known among the magical community as Eclipse Rays. When the opposites of Light and Darkness Magic clashed, they'd form a surreal blend of silvery beams of luminescence that carried shadows within its manifestation. Shooting outward like spotlights instead of the assumed Eternano sparks, the two forces strained with the sound of a high pitched whistle and a faint scraping drone. For the longest time it'd appear as if both spells had reached a stalemate with neither technique giving an inch so long as the focused Wizards combatted. "Amazing," Maria thought with dazzled eyes as she maintained focus on her Barrier that formed an egg shape around her cross-legged form. "I've never seen something so beautiful yet terrifying before. Light and Darkness, battling each other for dominance! I wonder who will win?" As her thoughts drifted off, the sound of cracks could be heard, like glass beginning to split under durress. To the reflected eyes of Morgan it'd look like her spear had created a web of penetration in the shield that her father had created. The size of a fingertip, it crawled out slowly but surely, all the while Eclipse Rays gleamed out from the point of contact her Darkness Lance had on its unblemished exterior. But then, the weapon itself shattered at its end and broke into wispy vapors of dark Eternano before dissipating just shy of the girl's extended wrist. "Darn," Maria huffed out loud, her cheeks inflating as she saw Morgan lose in the struggle. The moment the spear struck the mirror, Morgan couldn’t believe her eyes at the reaction. The silver beams that existed solely by the contact she had with the reflective wall were mesmerizing, and the shadows that were woven in them created patterns like smoke dancing in the air. It was a beautiful sight, one that she wondered how such a thing could exist. But that wasn’t the most important thought on her mind, overpowering the barrier was. The grinding shriek of her spear slamming into the glass was as much an affront to the ears as the lights were pleasant. After what felt like ages, she heard a crack, as if the glassy light had finally begun to give. Shock made itself known on her face as she realized the wall held firm and it was actually her black spear that had begun to shatter into wisps of smoke. Light magic is far more difficult to overcome than I imagined. And it doesn’t help that as far as power goes, he’s proven himself superior in nearly every aspect to me. she thought to herself, looking at the still-standing reflection of herself in the mirror. The reflective magic hadn’t escaped entirely unscathed, a small chip was noticeable, right at where Morgan had struck. And it gave her a devious idea. In a move similar to what she had done the first time she fought Victor, she channeled energy into her hands, and crossed them in front of her face. Residual energy flared from her arms the shape of dragon-like wings, folded and crossed as if they were a cocoon. Once the spell was fully charged, she uncrossed her arms and the wings of darkness followed suit, extending as they moved. The end result was a twin variant of her Darkness Dragon’s Wingbeat, a variant she had come up with after realizing the weaknesses in the original. Without giving Victor even a moment to prepare, she knew he could sense the magical pressure she exerted to manifest the spell, the young slayer ran straight at the mirror, aiming a punch at the crack she had created earlier, and once the wing effigy came into contact, the two once more produced those lights she found so fascinating. Another cracking sound could be heard, but this time, the mirror gave from the stress fractures, splintering apart. Renewing her momentum, Morgan closed the gap between herself and her father and lashed out with the second magical wing, hoping her efforts weren’t in vain. Victor had half considered dispelling the barrier to see what she'd do next. But the suddenly swelling of Eternano in the air told him that she wasn't done yet. Rivulets of wispy shadows bled around the outer rim of the wing bordered mirror. When another high pitched squeal was heard he kept his spell up with exertion. What he didn't expected was the folding flap of a Darkness Wing tearing through the mirror placed shield he had constructed. "She's coming in for the attack!" He realized with an instinctive swivel of one hand to reach for the arm that moved underneath his outstretched palm. The Mage managed to parry the fist, but couldn't avoid the follow-up wing flap, feeling the force of the Darkness Magic appendage whip around and caught him in the face. His head snapped to one side, flecks of blood, a single scratch drawn across his jaw. In that moment of minute pain he couldn't help but feel proud that his daughter got a hit in despite using a natural opposite. But, he couldn't just wait patiently and hope she doesn't continue the assault. No, instead he firmly stomped his foot back with the momentum of the attack that pushed him a step away. Turning around in a bout of speed that exuded Eternano particles glistening of light across his form, his left hand thrust out, bathed in a pure white aura that discharged and moved to hit Morgan in the solar plexus. Like a shotgun of Light Magic pressure, the palm imprint would leave a steaming imprint of a flat hand with digits onto her gi, likely sending her sprawling to the wall opposite. "Divine Rejection," Victor murmured with finality as the spell finished discharging from his hand. Had Morgan not seen it with her own eyes, she’d never have believed it. Her second Wingbeat had done it, she had done it. She landed a direct hit on her father. A small one, but she would take what she could get, even if all she did was produce a tiny nick in the man’s skin. The only reason she didn’t celebrate that accomplishment was the fact he hadn’t called their spar concluded. Before she could continue her attack on him, however, she saw that she had left herself wide open, and in the span of a few moments, she knew that the little victory she had made for herself wouldn’t win the fight, not by a long shot. She could feel the magical pressure building and only saw a glaring light for a brief second before she felt the impact of a spell slam into her, and with nothing to stop herself nor any support, she was knocked back with enough force that she ended up almost slamming into the wall behind her, only slowing enough by generating the Darkness Dragon’s Talons and raking her new violet and ebony claws against the barrier-protected floor. Although her magical nails couldn’t slice the membrane of magic, the produced friction was enough to stop her from being severely hurt by the upteenth time she slammed into one of the walls. Staggering back to her feet despite the pain, she pondered her next move, disengaging her talons before they could actively consume all her magical energy. She knew from experience that many of her conventional attacks were borderline useless unless she poured more power into them or modified them to do things they weren’t able to do, and Victor know almost all of her usual spells and their limits, all of them except one. Even with that knowledge, she quickly cast the very thought of using her only advantage from her mind. She couldn’t even dream of unleashing the spell upon the man who brought her out of the dark pit of her own thoughts. And that fearful debate with herself only made itself known by the painful grimace and a flash of absolute terror cross her face. After her short argument with herself, she decided that remaining at a range would be a disadvantage in the end. She had to pressure Victor, that much she knew. She made a mad dash for her father, every few seconds blinking in and out as her speedy frame left afterimages in her wake. Knowing that Victor anticipated a direct attack, she instead jumped over him, and turned her downward momentum into an aide for an axe-kick aimed at the man's shoulder. "Her speed has improved, if only by a small margin," Victor analyzed as his Twilight Sense enabled his eyes to keep track of her body's movements. He could already tell that she was moving faster than sound, as her feet were near silent at touching the ground before hopping to another area of the training hall. In a split instant she appeared above him, his sensory ability mapped out her descent within the forefront of his mind's eye. Backing up at a pace barely noticeable by the ax kicking Dragon Slayer, he pulled back his arm in a timely fashion. Swinging it forward just nary her Darkness Magic covered heel touched the ground, his fist impacted her with an emission of Light Magic coming from his knuckles. The eruption of magic combined kinetic force was to be aimed to send her reeling into another segment of the wall. A part of the training he didn't tell her outright was the durability he was toughening her small frame to receive more punishment than she could think possible. Moments after his punch was thrown, he'd hear the chime of someone entering the Training Hall; a signal to make sure to stop throwing Magic around in the event an unprepared guest walked inside. Holding his hand up to his daughter, a silent gesture to indicate they stop the spar, he looked over to the doorway slide open. There, Diana could be seen in her usual suit attire, arms dutifully crossed behind her back. "Thanks for coming, Diana," Victor greeted with a smile and nod to the Virago Spirit. "Hi, Diana!" Maria greeted, now comfortable enough to deactivate the barrier. "Good to see you two," Diana greeted with an appreciate smile, always treeted by her Master's family as one of their own. Her love for the newest edition, Morgan, was just as real it could be for Maria. The natural protective instinct she felt for Victor was passed to his offspring while a genuine compassion was felt within her more human side. Returning to the task at hand, she nodded to her master with a composed stance. "The new members are here. I have them waiting in the main lobby." "Excellent," Victor clapped, rubbing his palms together to symbolize his eagerness to meet his new Guildmates to-be. Turning to look at Morgan he gestured with a wave of his hand at her roughed-up attire. "You might want to change into something more appropriate. Is there anything you'd like to ask Diana to whip out for you?" Morgan could barely see Victor as he dodged her kick, although she knew even two weeks ago, even seeing his moves would be out of the question. The moment she felt her heel touch the ground, she felt a brutal stinging sensation as the light-infused punch knocked her backwards before she could even regain her footing. Without any balance, she ended up being comically flung head over heels before coming to rest rather suddenly by an impact with the wall. Before she could mount a counter-offensive in retaliation, she saw Victor hold a hand up, signaling to stop. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself before she rashly acted and brought her father’s disappointment upon herself, having learned that the moment he told her to stop, she was to stop then and there, no matter what she was in the middle of or however she had been feeling. As Diana entered, Morgan could already feel the rush of adrenaline in her system slowly degrade, which made it easier to curb the combative instincts that had been drilled into her since childhood and honed through the time spent in the wilds. When Victor addressed her, the battered and scuffed girl looked over to the blonde Virago Spirit. “Is my jacket clean?” she inquired politely. The first night she had lived among her new family, Morgan had made it almost impossible to separate her from the black coat she had clung to for so long, as a child would cling to a security blanket, refusing to even let the thing be cleaned in the slightest, despite the awful oder it carried, a stink that she had grown so accustomed to, even with her enhanced sense of smell, that she had never been aware of it as a problem. That the jacket served as one of her only comforts after leaving Sin had made her very possessive of it, and it took time to convince her to part with it for even a short time. "Here," Diana whipped her hand out, in a burst of Requip light, the trademark coat Morgan had come into the manor with weeks ago. Within it was some more modestly appropriate clothes. The bands of linen covering her body underneath hardly was qualified and instead was changed around with a blue top and bottom silk in make. Her boots and fingerless gloves were also there as well, neatly topped above the folded assortment of clothing she was used to donning. "If you wish to change, I'll escort Victor to his quarters so he may be appropriately dressed as well." "I'll see myself out while Maria keeps you company," Victor decided with a smile, nodding to Diana and his two daughters before walking straight out of the room. "I'll see you two in a few minutes." As soon as the door was closed, Morgan began to disrobe, doing everything she could to keep Maria from seeing her back in the process. Across the ghostly pale skin of her back, faint scars criss-crossed, every line representing the failures of a little girl and the punishment it brought. To her, each was a twisted reminder that the worst nightmares weren’t imagined, they were very real. She didn’t want her sister to worry or feel sorry for her, the best way to ensure that was to hide the almost invisible lines. The moment she finished stripping off her ebony gi, she grabbed the clothes she had set aside not long before, donning the new outfit that had been picked out for her. While on the run, she had never cared for modesty, wearing instead clothes that offered the least restriction of movement, with the jacket covering her scars just as effectively as any shirt could, but she realized why the skimpy fabric she had worn would seem inappropriate in a more civil setting. Once she donned the blue shirt and matching shorts, she sat down and slid her boots on, making sure they were tightly tied, not wishing to risk sliding back out of them. Standing back up, she put her jacket on, the feel of the worn material brought a grin to her face. Although the fact it was cleaned changed the smell and even the color a bit as the dirt was washed away, there was no mistaking the feeling. After putting on her gloves, she stretched a bit, testing the movement range of her coat, ensuring that it hadn’t shrunk or stiffened since she last wore it. As soon as she was satisfied with the results, she turned to Maria and smiled. “Ready to go?” "One second," Maria told her sister with a raise of her hand. Entering a slightly spread foot stance, she raised her arms till they were about level with her shoulders. Inhaling a solid breath, she exhaled with a loud declaration. "Requip: Rosey Maiden!" In a glistening gleam of golden light her gi was dispersed into the ether, leaving her bare body to be enveloped in the bright tender rays of Eternano particles. Reaching into the void of space it pulled out the chosen attire and donned it upon her person. A red sleeved blouse with a loose tie fit around her collar was fit over her top. Her hair, now swirled into a pair of auburn twintails by red ribbons, complemented a dark skirt just inches above the knee. With dark high heels fitted over her feet, she smiled as her body was no properly dressed to meet visitors. "Let's meet our guests, Morgan!" She exclaimed with a bout of invigorated spirit, leading the way as the two left the training hall. Enter the Fallen Titans "Thank you for your patience with my husband," Vanessa Alexander replied to the Magi that were sitting on a plush couch that was one of many sofas that occupied the large proportioned main lobby. "Don't worry," Waved the thoroughly relaxed Noriko Hayate, S-Class Wizard simply known by her moniker the Fatale Shock. She leaned back comfortably against the plush leather cushions, gesturing idly with one hand while smiling disarmingly at her hostess. " I've known Vic from awhile back and we went through Hell together five years ago when it came to that nasty business with Demon Lords and the like. Waiting for a few minutes won't bother me much." "I do seem to remember you being brought up from time to time," Vanessa mentioned with a soft smile, "you were invited to his Benefit Meals and Fundraisers he held across Fiore. I don't believe I've met your friends before, though." "Oh," The cheshire grinning woman blinked, turning to gesture to her left. The braided, twintailed Yui Tetsukumo leaned back in a way that seemed to mimic her senior magi. Her bare right foot was propped up thanks to one leg crossed over the other, toes flicking idly to display the colorful paint put on each nail. She simply smiled, if not suggestively, at the hostess as Noriko introduced her. "This is Yui, Yui Tetsukumo. She's my ward and a personal disciple of mine. She hardly leaves my side but she's never in the way. Sometimes I confuse her for myself, though of course with much more mischief than I could manage." "Pleased to meet you, Yui," The hostess bowed her head and smiled at her from her standing position. "I can see why he'd marry you. You're pretty easy on the eyes," Yui remarked bluntly with a pearly smile that made Vanessa do a double-take and blush fiercely. "If you could keep the flirting to a minimum, Yui, so we don't get in trouble with her rather protective husband, I'd appreciate that," Noriko reprimanded with a wry grin that belied the imploring stare she sent her way. Shrugging her bare shoulders, she couldn't help but send another wink at the woman's way who forcefully returned her polite and calm demeanor. Desperate to take her eyes off of the young woman, she looked over at the man who was bent over while casually smoking a cigarette. While it wasn't uncommon for her to see or encounter smokers, she couldn't help but frown at the use of cigarettes being used indoors. "Ahem," She cleared her throat, causing the brown spiky haired man to look up with a rather dull look in his eyes. Reaching out with a hand towards him, he looked down at the cig in his fingers and then back to the hand. Sighing he relenquished hold of his substance and earned a smile at his compliance as she walked to the closest disposal unit. "Really? You had to light up here?" Noriko asked with a dubious raise of her left brow. "Excuse me, but the ride in their mechanical monster wasn't as comfortable as they made it sound," Wess Smith, S-Class Mage known by his nickname the Flash Shot, replied with an aggravated tone. "No vibrations, no exterior noise and no smell of combustion? How am I supposed to focus in such an enclosed, lifeless environment." "You obviously are too used to less than mediocrity," Noriko pouted with a squinted glare sent his way. "Our business isn't known for its extravagance, dear Noriko, something you often forget when face to face with luxury," He remarked just as Vanessa returned. When the woman looked to her right she couldn't help but see the approaching Victor in tow with Diana. He was in his normal tailored red suit with a black tie fastened with the white collared shirt put underneath. Sceptre in hand he walked with a stride of confidence and peace of mind, while the dark suited Diana trailed along behind him. Noticing neither daughter was with him at the moment, she realized they'd have to wait an extra minute at best to meet her daughters. "Thank you, my sweet Vanessa, for entertaining our guests for me," Victor spoke softly as he approached his lovely wife. "Well, they are colorful and intriguing, but they aren't anything I can't handle," She mused with a slight laugh, exchanging a slight sideways hug and a small kiss before parting to maintain their professional demeanor. "I'll leave you to them; I've got other things to catch up on. See you later. As they left, Yui couldn't help but have her eyes drawn to the adult woman's figure, a twinkle in her eye caused her right orb spark with a light of Eternano. But when Victor's body cut her view off from the attractive woman, she sighed and returned to a state of boredom when the man greeted them with an open hand, one of which her sensei took hold of. "Thank you for accepting my invitation, everyone. I'm excited to have you join my Phoenix Guild," He stated matter-of-fact, not wishing to hide the obvious reason why they were brought here. "Well, if its with you, I don't mind hitching up and seeing how long we can last in a new Guild," Noriko casually smirked at her old friend. Looking to the other two, Victor's brows twitched slightly. Sighing he looked over at Noriko with an expectantly tired smile, "I'm assuming Godfried is-?" "Out on a job," Noriko nodded as she finished for Victor. "You know how he is. Once he gets on an assignment, no matter how difficult, he'll stick to it till he finishes it. For good or worse." "Right. It has been awhile with any of you, not since what the Council likes to call the Demon Aversion," Victor murmured out loud, earning a barking laugh from Noriko. "That's rich! The Demon Aversion? More like the Demon Warcalypse! We almost had the world come to an end and they brush it off as a simple close call? Damn, what I wouldn't give for the chance to-" Noriko began to unleash if not for Victor's raised hand to quiet her down. Sighing she looked solemnly apologetic at her friend before looking to her left what Victor craned his head towards. "I think we can settle that conversation over some drinks. But for now, you'll have to meet my daughters," Victor introduced with a wave of his hand, just as the long-coat Slayer and his aspiring jacket toting girl slowed their approach just for a handful of meters by the three standing ex-Titan Mages. When they stopped, he introduced accordingly. "These are my children, Morgan and Maria. Maria, Morgan? These are Mages who have come from the Midnight Titans Guild of Fiore. They will be joining our Guild." Morgan followed close behind her sibling, thinking still about her slight triumph during her training. Now that she could celebrate the act without worrying about defending herself, she started laughing. “I can’t believe I finally got a hit in!” she said as the laughter died down, although she did nothing to disguise the glee she felt. That one blow had made the entire ordeal leading up to it more than worth the effort. As they neared the room, she could hear a woman yelling something about demons, and almost sprinted ahead, fear flashing in her eyes and her body tensed on instinct. Before she could start running, however, she heard Victor calming the situation, easing her fears. Entering the room itself, she eyed the strangers carefully. It wasn’t until Victor introduced them as new guild members did she finally relax. Knowing that they would be members of their guild, their family helped. It didn’t entirely erase her anxiety, but she could feel her nervousness disappearing a little bit. “Hello, I’m Morgan.” she said meekly, a stark contrast to her usually proud facade. "Hiya! I'm Maria," Morgan's sister piped up without skipping a beat, ensuring all attention wasn't focused on her uncharacteristically less bold sibling. She waved with a bright smile, earning immediate attention from Noriko. "Aw, aren't you just the most precious thing," Noriko Hayate asked while her hands reached out, much to Maria's dismay, and began stretching her cheeks in painful pinches. As she womanhandled the skin of the poor girl which somehow amused Victor and Vanessa at the sight of it, Wess just nodded with slight intrigue. Only Yui seemed to take a fascination with Morgan. Stepping over till she towered a head over the shorter Dragon Slayer, she cast a wry grin down at the young girl. She guessed that she was a couple years older but she definitely seemed to have been through things. Just by the way her eyes looked at her and the way she stood spoke volumes of her past. "So she must be adopted. Explains her pasty white skin and black hair, unlike the rest of the family resemblance kept in dear sweet Maria," She deduced with a grin, reaching to extend a hand for a shake. A challenging twinkle entered her left eye, transforming it into a vibrant rosy hue that transmitted a spectral cross of Eternano to emanate from it. "I'm Yui Tetsukumo. You look about as attractive as your mother, if you don't mind me saying so." Morgan could only watch as her over-energetic sister was playfully picked on by one of the new guild members. As much as the scene was hilarious, the former thief kept an eye on the other members, waiting to see how they reacted to the her sibling and herself. She wasn’t able to get a read on the only male among their group, he seemed too non-committal to the whole matter. The third member of the group approached and Morgan eyed the newcomer carefully. Just because she believed she could trust them didn’t mean she wouldn’t be wary at first. Trust was, after all, earned and never given freely. She couldn't let anything slip past her. When she saw the gleam in the woman’s eye, the young Dragon Slayer jerked away reflexively, unsure of her own safety. Once everything seemed to be fine she took the offered hand and smiled shyly. Upon being complimented, however, that smile wavered. She never expected to be complimented for anything beyond her fighting ability or worth as a mage, especially not from a complete stranger. “What kind of magic is that?” she asked, gesturing at the obvious glowing crucifix pattern. She had heard of eye magic being a potent tool, but never one that took such a unique form. The older girl simply smiled and tilted her head slightly to the left. The cross-shaped light suddenly turned into a pinwheel, transforming into a variety of colors that blended together into an atmospheric whirlpool of light. Staring at it would drown Morgan's senses, pulling her into a chasm of bliss before reappearing in the same standing posture. But this time it was her inside a glittering cave with sparkling gems embedded into the rocks of the overarching natural ceiling, with a waterfall roaring in the background to her right, casting a shimmering outline upon Yui and herself. While Yui and herself had not changed in their appearance or disposition, the atmosphere itself seemed to have warped into a completely different world to her perception. "This is my unique magic," Yui explained, in words that could be heard on the outside, drawing attention to what could be seen as a slack-jawed and very still Morgan. "My Mirage Eye can cast an illusion on anyone who catches its glimmering rays. A beautiful spell full of promise and danger. Do you like it?" While Vanessa hadn't looked directly into the light, she could see that Morgan was very still and stoic in her disposition on the outside. She moved to intervene but Victor raised a hand to calm his wife. Looking over at Noriko, he sighed, asking in words that couldn't be heard by Morgan, "Did she really need to do that? They just met." "It's perfectly harmless, outside of combat," The Fatale Shock replied with a nonplussed shrug, looking over at Wess who just started counting tiles in the ceiling. Huffing she elbowed him in the shoulder, urging him to nod in agreement with her. Shaking her head she scratched the side of her head as she realigned her gaze back at him. "Look, the kid was born with a natural gift, her left eye in particular has untapped potential in projecting illusion magic even I never heard of. It's basic but when used in combination with her combat skills she's a foe that can easily stand evenly with the likes of us...for the most part." "It's so pretty," Maria said with an awestruck grin of her own, her mind having teleported into the realm that Yui created when she looked over at the cross-shaped light. While she couldn't see Morgan standing beside her, she had the exact same image of the older girl being on a rift across from her in the middle of a glamoursly lit cave. Her eyes were drowned by a swirling rosy hue, causing Noriko and Victor to sigh. "Don't worry, if things get out of hand I can dispel it and get them out of the trance," Noriko reassured with a nonchalant wave of her hand. Morgan looked around the cavernous void she found herself in and panicked. She wished it was anything but a cavern. Shaking like a leaf, she swallowed the fear that rose inside her and took a deep breath. It’s all fake, all of it. I’m still standing right where I was. I’m safe at home. Mom, Dad and Maria are all there too, so I’m safe. Block this all out. This isn’t even that cave, even if it were real. It’s too bright to be. “I want out. Please. I don’t care if this is an illusion or not. It's too real. Let me out of here...I don't like caves.” She pleaded, the last sentence coming out as a harsh, broken whisper, hinting barely at the nightmare that raged in her mind. Only the fact that she was told it was an illusion kept her from screaming out in fear. "She's...afraid of this vision? I was certain it was docile in its intent," Yui thought with perplexion, wondering why such an entrancing vista could be seen as threatening. But seeing her shaking before her gaze was enough to put her mind into silence. Whatever happened to her in the past was clear as day. Something happened to her in the dark, out of sight and without anyone to help. Almost instantly her Mirage Eye stopped glowing even only after barely a minute had passed. "I'm sorry," Yui murmured lamely, turning back to Morgan as she clutched her arm with shame written on her face. "I...I didn't mean to-" "I know you like showing off, Yui, but you should get to know them first before unveiling your talents," Noriko declared with a comforting pat on her head. "You should'a known better," Wess mumbled pointedly, earning a slight glare before he returned a raised brow that went unchallenged. "Huh?" Maria gaped as the beautiful scenery disappeared. She was standing in front of her parents, her mother seeming to be relieved about something as Victor just smiled calmly as he always did. But when she turned to see Morgan, shaking as much as a leaf in the wind, with cold sweat coming off her skin she was instantly taken aback. Practically lunging into an embrace, she hugged her sister while patting her back, trying her best to console her. "Morgan, it's okay. What's the matter, you can talk to me, right?" Morgan’s moment of fear faded once she was home. Still slightly shaken, she tried to forget what just happened. When Maria embraced her, she could feel herself relaxing as she returned the hug. “I just don’t like caves. They scare me. Dragons live there.” she said softly, wishing she could block out the memories threatening to spring up like weeds. She couldn’t imagine how messed up she’d be if it weren’t for her sister there to comfort her. Breaking off the hug, she turned to face Yui, although she still held her sister’s hand, not wanting to separate entirely from the comfort and companionship. “You didn’t know. You didn’t try to do it on purpose to mess with me or hurt me. Besides, I know what it’s like to want to show off.” she said, trying to console the young woman. "You're...not mad at me?" Yui turned to show a look of surprise coloring her face. Looking away she smiled, suppressing a blush of thankfulness at the girl's adamant insistence she understood the feeling. Hearing that someone was mutual when it came to her own vices made her cast an uncharacteristically shier glance at Morgan. "Well...thank you for understanding, and...yeah." "See? Everything's A-O-K!" Maria exclaimed with a giggle, swinging Morgan's arm up with her own grip on it being firm. "Before we get too familiar," Noriko suggested with a wry grin at her pupil, whom still was casting wanting stares at the Dragon Slayer. "Can we see where our prestigious Guild will be attending?" "Ah! Of course," Victor enthustiastically remembered, one of the main reasons he was excited for more members coming to the mansion. Beckoning them with a turn of his heel and a wave of his hand, Diana stepped up to his left while the others assumedly trailed behind. "It has been a project for over the last month. Between calculating the necessary space needed and the numbers of the Guild I aim to reach, plus necessary technology I wanted to innovate into our space I needed to make sure everything was in perfect condition. I spared no expense of course." "When have you ever?" Diana asked dryly with a dubious glance from her right eye. "Hahaha, good point!" Victor laughed in good humor, their feet carrying them down the corridor and to the spiral stairs that went up many floors upward. Turning to look over at Maria and Morgan, he inquired with a grin. "I don't recall either of you seeing the Guild Hall yet. Did either of you sneak a peak at my secret project?" "I couldn't," Maria muttered with pouted lips. "The barriers kept me from moving above the floor below it." Morgan was going to continue her conversation, but before she could say anything, Maria’s exuberant interruption broke he train of thought. Before she could recollect her thoughts after the initial interruption, Victor directed the group to outside the room, down the hall and to the spiral stairs. The entire time, she stuck by her sister's side, refusing to stray too far from her family. When Victor asked if either of his daughters had seen the result of the construction done on the upper floors, the young Slayer couldn’t meet his eyes. “Me either. It’s not like I didn’t try though.” she admitted, a guilty note in her voice. She knew it was a dangerous area of the house, but her natural curiosity had gotten the better of her, she had to know what the resounding beat of construction was all about. Despite her best efforts the barriers had likewise made it impossible for her to pass through. "It is a good thing, too. I had experimental Eternano-powered equipment in place. One of you could have been hurt if you were exposed or if it was broken near you," Victor explained in a slightly stern tone, though his smile remained as he knew it was a thing of the past. As Maria blinked with shock at what could have happened, Noriko could only arch a brow at what the children's father suggested. "What kind of equipment?" She inquired with a tilt of the head, only noticable out of the corner of his eye. "You'll see," The Phoenix Guildmaster intoned with a skip upward the long spiral of stairs. From there it became forebodingly quiet, the claps of feet and shoe soles upon eloquently lacquered stairs. With each step upward they could see a faint glimmer of light as they approached the top floor of the mansion. This seemed to grow more and more visible as they drew closer to their destination. When they reached the last cropping of stairs, a familiar barrier was in place, acting like an envelope of sorts that stretched from the stairs over their heads to the other side of the interior to latch to the wall. Opening his hand, he twitched his fingers methodically and muttered under his breath a sequential code, "12-15-06. 04-05-14. 07-17-15." Audible clicks like locks sounded in the air, with switches and knobs being heard but unseen to all. Seconds later the barrier shimmered and disappeared, allowing them further passage upward. Welcome to the Nest "A serial code in conjunction with ventriloquist gestures?" Wess inquired with a recognition of what happened, turning to look at Noriko and Yui with equally surprised looks. Maria looked up star-eyed at seeing the light vanish as the gunslinger waved a hand questionably at his new Master. "Just what kind of sorcery tech do you have in place?" "I think I may have told you all before," Victor explained, quietly smirking much to Diana's chagrin as they journeyed towards the top floor's doorway. It was an immaculate set of double-doors, handles made of bronze in a style of feathered embroidery. Bird heads were jutting from the doorframe's centers, with a fiery engraving across the outer line of the wall. A single ring slot was within the door's center, acting as a keyhole for Victor to place within, sliding in perfectly with an audible click. "My artificial system, NST, connects to all authorized Mages within the Phoenix Guild. By keeping an eye on us, systems can be altered, shut down or powered by a series of codes and body language for which is transferred through the ring to Nest herself. Think of her as a Handler for all of our major controls and technology we will be using for the foreseen future." "Your brilliance knows no bounds, as always, Victor," Noriko applauded with a laugh, complimenting him at the same time as jeering at his techno babble. "Maybe one day you can teach us how that all really ''works." "You may get that chance," He replied as he pulled his ring out from the slot, allowing the doors to open on their own and reveal the interior. From there it was like something out of a novel. The hall that led to the centermost first room was unbelievably vaulted, seeming to have taken the shape of a large bubble that had multiple square shaped tiles that were all lit when touched. While light coming from the outside seemed to bleed in from the top, the rest of the room seemed to operate as if it was in the sky itself, clouds wrapping around the floor walls and ceiling to give an impression there was no true up and down. That was further proven when one saw Victoria walking along the wall as if gravity had no meaning. Even her hair and personal affects didn't seem to be pulled by the draw of gravity that could still be felt by those walking in the room. She looked over from what seemed to be a desk created of light, with various files made of digital make. Watching them all enter and observe in awe she returned to seeing more images of her given task. "Oh, you've arrived!" Christina called out with delight, standing above them in her usual holy apparel. Bowing to the invertedly standing Victor, she replied humbly. "Master Victor, it's good to meet the rest of the Guild." "I see you're both taking to your tasks rather well. Guess no matter what I do, Virago Spirits are industrious creatures at heart," Victor replied candidly, taking a sideglancing smile at Diana whom shrugged nonplussed. Either way, he was pleased with the reactions as much as the results. What seemed to be a room in the sky was now home to their Guild, and he was eager to assist in answering questions in the specifics of the entire area. Looking to Morgan and Maria first, he asked with a tender smile. "What do you think of the Phoenix Guild's headquarters, ''the Nest?" As the group wandered up the steps, Morgan could feel the faint traces of the barrier magic that had impeded her progress up to the source of the constant noise from above. The feeling was one akin to a limb beginning to fall asleep. It was just slight enough to be almost unnoticable, only getting stronger as they ventured closer and closer to the source. She was pretty sure it was an additional security measure to warn people to stay away. When Victor disabled the barrier it was as if a sense of relief washed over the young Dragon Slayer. The annoying tingle evaporating entirely. She sighed with relief, glad that the feeling was gone. The moment they reached the doorway to what she had guessed was the meeting hall of their new guild, she couldn’t stop smiling. Not only would she finally see the result of the project Victor had in the works, but now she was one step closer to actually being able to use her talents to help her family. Despite the fact she hated her status as the Dark Dragon King’s only chosen Slayer, she wanted to be able to help realize her father’s dream of being able to protect the world. Walking into the headquarters was a surreal experience. For one thing, the pull of gravity seemed to have no effect on her, evidenced by her hair and jacket fluttering about, as if she jumped from a vast hight. Whatever magic had been placed upon the room, it was impressive, she had to admit that much. Glancing around the room, she spotted the two Virago Spirits that weeks before thwarted her attack on one of Victor’s trains. More specifically, the one carrying the very item she had spent months searching for. In the intervening time since, she hadn’t seen much of the spirits, and now she figured why. “This room is...different. The sensation of weightlessness takes some getting used to, but I think it’s kind of neat. I mean, other than your jet, I’ve never been able to really leave the ground, so the feeling is still sort of new to me. I like it.” she answered, starting to acclimate to the different environment. In fact, she was starting to enjoy the feeling. "Same here!" Maria piped up with a broad grin, spinning on her tip-toes in a pirouette. "I feel as light as a cloud!" "Yeah, I did notice something different," Yui murmured, her bare feet's toes flexing across the cool surface of the flooring beneath her uncovered soles. "It's like a pulse that is running through each partition in the ground. Like a heartbeat." "Astute observation, my young pupil," Noriko teased her student, much to the latter's chagrin as she pouted her lips and gave her a side glancing glare. Ignoring her expression, she looked towards Wess whom idly shrugged, looking as bored as he did when waiting for Victor. Turning back with a sigh, she asked out loud as she marveled her surroundings. "I gotta say, while this is pretty neat is there some kind of advanced tech you put into this place to make it happen?" "You'll have to thank Victor the Lacrima plating imbued with Gravity Magic," Diana explained with a wave towards her Master whom bore a simple smile that hadn't changed since their arrival. "This allows free movement all across the Nest. Just don't expect to do any spelunking from the ceiling, as you're still bound to the gravity of the plates you're standing on." "You'd also suffer extreme G Force Change, as the inertia could most likely do some serious harm to the human body," Victor warned casually, turning around to wink at Morgan. "Though I'm sure there are those more durable than others who are more than willing to try." "Gee, isn't that comforting?" Wess sardonically replied with a dry expression, earning an elbow jab to his gut that made him sputter into a series of coughs. "One thing I have to ask," Noriko continued, crossing her arms while she arced her gaze up at Victoria's seemingly transparent yet solid desk. "What kind of gizmo has that working?" "Construct Magic," Victor explained nonchalantly, earning practically all looks of query or disbelief. Arching a brow, his smile turned wry. "Would you like to see how it works?" "Oooh, yes!" Maria bounced with excitement, already feeling like a little girl in a candy factory with all the discoveries she kept making. "Alright Maria," Her father asked with a bowing lean towards her. "Would you like a pair of wings? If so, just say 'I'd like some wings, NST,' and she'll take care of the rest." Blinking with uncertainty, Maria looked back and forth before speaking out loud slowly, "Uh...I'd like a pair of wings...please, Nest?" "Authorized. Constructing now." As a voice echoed across the air that emanated from every tile of the Nest, glittering orange sparks rose up from the plates underneath Maria's feet. Flowing up till they caused a tingle on her back to form, she turned and marveled as hollow-shaped angel wings formed and extended at either side. Almost at mental command the wings folded and flapped behind her, accidentally hitting the others nearby, including poor Diana's face. "Oops, sorry!" Maria apologized shyly, bowing her head humbly. Spitting out a few feathers, a ruffled Wess huffed while Noriko just giggled and Yui just touched the left wing experimentedly. "You can feel this? Wow, this is so cool!" Yui commented with girlish fascination, smoothing her hands across the apparatus created by magic. "I know right?" Maria asked rhetorically, motioning for Morgan to touch her other wing with a sparkling smile. "How does it feel to your hands? I can't reach them so I don't know, hehe!" "Speaking of which," Victor snapped his fingers, looking over to Morgan's direction. "Why don't you give it a try? Just ask for Nest to make you something you'd like fabricated and it will do something closest to how you desire it. That's the beauty of Construct Magic, after all." Morgan listened intently as the others voiced how they felt in the altered environment. The whole thing still seemed impossible to be anything but a dream, but everyone’s experiences made it all the more real. She was about to ask how it all worked before Diana revealed that it was a lacrima powering the strange gravity the room possessed. In hindsight, knowing Victor had practically built his entire company around lacrima, it should have been expected. When Diana forbade spelunking off the side walls, Morgan did her best to look unconcerned, although the thought had crossed her mind, just to experience the thrill of psudo-freefall in a safe environment. The moment Victor turned to face her, the hastily built facade cracked just slightly. He knew her better than any living person could say, and her knack for getting herself in tight situations was well known among the family. She wouldn’t rule out the possibility that her not thinking of trying to jump off a gravity-empowered wall would have seemed even more insane than her doing so. The moment construction magic was brought up, she focused on every word about it. Even though it wasn’t stated anywhere, she had to doubt that it could make something beyond the scope and scale of the caster’s intent and limitations, making it impossible for it to create something so absolute that it was capable of directly interfering with something that even the caster himself couldn’t find a way around. As soon as Maria was gifted her new wings from the Nest system’s construction capabilities, Morgan took a step backward to avoid the comically flailing, feathery appendages. Once her sister stopped moving, she reached out and carefully stroked the outer edges of the wing. It felt like an actual wing had been transplanted out of nowhere onto Maria’s back. “They feel real enough to me. I doubt they’re illusions, they have mass.” she said. “Can you feel my hand through them?” Given her own turn to request something, she spent the better part of the next few minutes contemplating her choices silently. The most obvious one, a weapon that could injure even nigh-immortal dragons, she discarded almost as soon as she thought of it. If she was right and Victor was the one who placed the spell over the system like that, then to as for such a thing would be impossible, the limitations she assumed were over the spell would prevent the desired effect. After long minutes of thought, her hand absentmindedly brushed up against her side, where until recently she had carried a sword and sheath. Only weeks ago, she dropped the sword and never saw it since then. It was then she realized there was only one material object she wanted. “Can I have a new sword? To replace my other one?” she asked. “I miss having something other than my magic to go on when situations go bad. I don’t want it to be an exact copy, just similar enough I can still use what I know." she said, trying to keep an unbidden note of desperation out of her voice, and failing. Weeks without her signature blade, the longest in almost three years, left her feeling defenseless, even with Victor always watching out for her. "Mhm!" Maria nodded with a grin on her face, her wings folding properly back so they wouldn't hit anybody. With a childish blush on her face, she rubs her cheeks with giddy emphasis as she explains. "It kind of tickles but I can move it just like my arms and legs. They feel so warm being attached to me!~" "They are pretty," Yui mentioned as she tentatively poked with stars twinkling in her eyes. "Hey! That tickles more!" Maria squealed at the older girl's prodding as she kept poking it with a mischievious glint in her eyes. When she didn't let up, the auburn haired girl flapped her wings, much to her surprise that she left the ground and propelled herself up into the air. Suspended in the air, she flapped her feathered appendages a number of times as she marveled at her defiance of gravity, much to her delight. "I-I'm flying! I'm really flying! Wheeeeeee!~" "Maria, I wouldn't-" Victor tried to warn until he saw her doing a flip, dramatically dropping her towards the ground faster than she predicted. Palming his face in time of her back slamming into the plates, she groaned out with pain as her crumpled wings dissipated. Sighing, he pocketed his hands and reprimanded her. "Don't take Construct Magic lightly. If they receive too much damage they will lose integrity and vanish." "Owwwwww," Maria rubbed her back and head, whimpering slightly with a pouted expression. "I didn't know they'd disappear so easily..." "And as for your request, Morgan," The Phoenix Master turned towards his daughter, a soft smile stretching across his face. "I apologize about us leaving your weapon behind. I hadn't intended for you to part with a valuable boon behind. And I'm sure NST can make one for you." "Authorized. Constructing now." In a burst of warm light, an elegantly double-edged weapon complete with its own glowing scabbard held over her bosom looped around her left hip over her right shoulder in a bandoleer style. It had the insignia of the Phoenix on the pommel with its splayed feathers acting as the guard for the covered weapon. It had a faint thrum that was dampened by being kept concealed where its energy wasn't depleted. "I swear, Victor, you like to spoil your children as much as you like showing off your new toys," Noriko teased with a wry grin as she placed a hand on her hip with emphasis. Wess simply nodded with agreement to her, simply smirking at the fatherly display of compassion and generosity. "He's Victor. His policy of treating his Guild like family would have us all spoiled if he could help it," Diana piped out with a dry, yet amused expression as she pointed a finger up as if to further cement this fact. "You people have no mercy, do you?" Victor mumbled out with a slightly irritated twitch. Shaking his head he waved his hand out to his daughter as soon as Maria recovered enough to marvel at the weapon Morgan received. "Go ahead. Why don't you check it for yourself and compare it to the one you lost." Morgan watched as Maria performed aerial acrobatics, pushing the magically crafted wings to their limits. She couldn’t believe her eyes at first. Sure, the wings had felt real to the touch, but to see them in use was a different matter altogether. The instant Maria hit the ground, Morgan winced, hoping that the impact had only looked bad. She felt her breathing hitch in her throat for a brief second. For a short moment, she felt unable to do anything but watch until her sister’s pained groans at least revealed that she was indeed alive. She let out her pent up breath with a sigh, thankful her sibling survived a painful fall. When NST created her sword, the young Slayer grinned. The weight of both blade and sheath felt perfectly balanced, frighteningly so. Drawing the weapon, she eyed the blade carefully, looking for even the slightest imperfection. Finding none, she was moments from resheathing it before Victor gave her permission to test it. Moving away from the group to give herself room, she took one look at her father and then after a moment’s hesitation began hacking at the air itself, as if she were dueling an invisible enemy. Although the display of sword skills lasted a few minutes to the observers, to Morgan it happened in a flash. Every step was almost flawless, save for a few opening attacks as she got used to the weight and balance of the weapon she received. Compared to the black katana she was used to, the new sword was slightly longer and just a bit heavier, causing what would otherwise have been unbelievably quick motions to appear at a fraction of their full speed, up until she adjusted to the difference enough. She tested every possible pattern of slashes and stabs, switching angles of attack with ease, alternating between single and double handed grips to keep her imaginary enemy guessing. At one point in her maddening dance of death-dealing, she flinched as she pulled a muscle. That’s when she decided to stop, before she could do worse to herself. With a flourishing spin, she returned the blade to its sheathe and faced her guidmates and family, beads of sweat running down her face from the exertion. “It’s a perfect replacement, I just need to practice a bit more.” she said, smiling despite how tired and sore she felt. "You have excellent form and great fluid movement," Diana complimented with a smile, her words echoed with a prideful clap by Victor and an excited one by Maria. Rolling her eyes at the other two she added with a murmur. "We should practice together, if you're willing." "Morgan, that was amazing!" Maria gushed with a bright smile, having never seen anyone other than Diana perform sword katas before. Seeing Morgan do it was like watching a completely different demonstration. "You were wickedly fast with that blade. It was like watching you spar with father but like you were dancing. It was cool to watch you move!" "Not actual dancing, but it was neat to behold," Yui remarked with a shrug and a smile of her own. "Definitely impressive," Noriko nodded with a grin of her own, before a pensive look overtook her face. "Still, I never would have thought a girl your age would know how to use a sword so efficiently. Was there someone who taught you, or-?" "Hey, isn't that prying a little bit?" Wess asked with an annoyed look on his own face that overtook Noriko's curiosity. "I bet the kid had to fend for herself using nothing but a sword and her magic. If she wants to tell us who trained her, let her. Don't go poking your nose into her business or else you'll never set a good example for Yui." "When did she star-ow!" Yui began to snark before feeling a slap to the back of her head, making her cover her head and wince with regret saying that. "All in good time," Victor urged the quiet to the rest of the Guild Mates, looking over at Morgan to give her a clever wink. "Isn't that right, Morgan?" Morgan was taken aback as her family and even complete strangers were complimenting her skills. Even after getting used to her family’s reactions to her powers, it still felt weird having a room full of people valuing her for any reason. It gave her a warm feeling, one that drowned out the whispered threats and taunts that echoed in her head. She barely heard Diana’s murmured offer to help her learn the art of swordplay, one that made her remember the days she spent practicing with her brother in Sin, the only good memories of her time in that nightmare. Before she could reply to the offer however, Noriko’s question drew her attention. It was a question she wished she could have avoided answering again. When Wess thankfully cut in, she found it oddly funny how accurate he had been. “Yes, that’s right Father." she said, thankful she could avoid explaining and bringing up the man who both inspired her escape and bought her the head start that she needed. She quickly walked back to the group, standing next to Diana. “Um...maybe in a couple days, if you want...we can train together. I’d really like that. I haven’t had anyone to practice with in a long time.” she said. Diana smiled softly at the bashful acceptance to her invitation. Despite the girl having lived with the family for almost a whole month, she was still timid about accepting help or a helping hand from others. She could understand why, she was still in the midst of suffering from a trauma that she couldn't relate or understand herself. The Virago Spirit noticed a look of worry enter her Master's eyes as his gaze longered at her face before turning to talk quietly to Noriko and Wess in particular. Seeing this as an opportunity to continue the subject, she turned to Morgan and whispered to her, "Perhaps we could train tomorrow? I'd like to see just exactly how much rust we need to polish off your technique before we really push you to a higher-" "Master Victor!" Frowning at being interrupted in mid-talk, she looked over to her left to see Christina walking across the cloud vista assemblage of wall tiles. Stopping in front of the gathered Wizards, the Virago pointed to her ring and then to her ear. "Nest has a proximate alert to Fiume di Giglio. There appears to be a band of attackers using Magic that the local militia can't handle." "Fiume?" Noriko inquired with an arched brow, turning to look over at Wess and then back at Victor. "Isn't that only 180 kilometers northeast of here?" "That's where we came from last time I checked," Wess muttered out loud, casting a smirk at his female companion. "You memorized the measurements from here to Victor's estate, didn't you?" "I had nothing to do on a mute aircraft, you chimney!" She replied with an angry shout, causing the gunner to look at her curiously at her choice of insults. "What do you think we should do?" Diana asked, arching her head at the taller man. "Inquire one of the Legal Guilds to assist?" "Getting a formal request during a crisis will take too much time," Victor shook his head, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he conjurred on what to do. Humming, he looked over at Maria, Yui and then Morgan. With a cryptic smile he looked over at his trusty right handed Virago and asked with a smile. "Say, do you think you'd be willing to take the three kids to check it out for us?" "Uh," Wess began to utter out with disbelief while Noriko cocked her head to the side with wonder. "You mean...take them on an assignment?" She asked incredulously, looking over at Maria and Morgan cautiously. Casting a frown, she crossed her arms over her chest as she glared up at the father. "What do you think you're doing, Victor Alexander. Do you realize how worried their mother would be if you allowed this to happen?" "I'm not his daughter and I can take care of myself!" Yui sneered with an insulted turn of her head as she pouted her lips and propped her hands on her hips. "She actually could," Noriko suggestively shrugged with a too nonchalant tone that made Diana glare even harder at Victor. "I wasn't saying I'd leave them entirely in your care, if you believe that's not assurance they'd be safe," He smoothly waved a hand at her, quietly leaning forward to whisper while their eyes were only inches apart. "But remember, they have to face the dangers of the outside world at some point. Yui is already a Wizard and under Noriko's wing, not to mention Morgan managed to cross Ishgar on foot alone and managed to make it in one piece. I desire my Maria to have the same experience but in a team so the presence of safety is greater for her. Plus, I and the others will monitor the situation from above, that way we can intervene if things get too out of hand. Is that not satisfactory?" "I say it's reckless and headstrong for you to put them in the line of fire, especially when we don't know the full capacity of the danger," She replied harshly, enough to make him back up and raise his hands defensively. Closing her eyes she inhaled deeply before letting out a grating exhale. "If it's alright with them, I can escort them to the danger zone. But I will keep them out of harm's way if I can. Is that satisfactory for you, Master?" "It's fine by me," Victor sighed with relief, turning to look at the girls individually and as a group. "What do you say, Morgan, Maria, and Yui? Will you like to see firsthand what it's like to be a Mage?" "Do I?!" Maria squealed out with glee, finding herself all too eager to go outside of the boundaries of simply a safe trip to a town within the country. Instead they were going to a city with the intent of saving lives and battling evildoers. It was just like out of the books she read! Clearing her throat, she tried to look dignified as she nodded with acceptance to her father. "I will accept this chance with the utmost seriousness and maturity." "Sure," Yui replied with a roll of her eyes, smirking up at the older man, waving her hands indifferently with a shrug. "I can hang with the neophytes. It'll be nice to see what tricks are up their skirts, as they say." "Their sleeves, Yui," Noriko corrected with a humored shake of their head. "I know what I said!" Yui bit back with a sharp turn of her head and a scowl at her mentor. Morgan’s countenance brightened for a moment until Christina’s yelling interrupted her discussion. When Noriko said that the place the alarm came from was only half a day’s walk from the mansion, her attention turned to the matter at hand. “With the town that close, it’d be a simple matter for a number of the mages present to go in and at least lay the groundwork of a counter-offensive.” she thought, wondering who would be on such a team. She was shocked when Victor suggested her as a member of the advance scouting team. She couldn’t believe that she was already about to embark on a mission as a member of a guild. The thought both excited and terrified her. Maria’s serious reaction, however, lightened her heart considerably. She knew that her sister was itching for the chance to prove herself, just as she was. “If you think I’m ready, then I’ll do my best. I won’t disappoint you Father.” she said, mentally preparing herself for the task she was given. Steeling her resolve, she cast a glance over at Maria and made a silent promise to protect her sibling, no matter the cost. A month ago, she would have laughed at such a thought, but knowing what it was to have a loving and accepting family, she couldn’t bear losing them, not after all the good that came from their kindness towards her. Category:Rise of the Phoenix Category:Arts of Darkness Category:The Slayer's DOgma Category:Morgan Deschain Category:Victor Alexander Category:Yui Tetsukumo